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TKR to play in front Shah Rukh tonight

ST Lucia Stars batsman Kieron Pollard dismissal (caught) off the bowling of TKR's Dwayne Bravo, during the CPL2018 opening match between Trinbago Kinght Riders and St. Lucia Stars at the Queen's Park Oval, St. Clair on Wednesday night.
Photo by:CA-images

The Trinbago Knight Riders fresh from crushing the St. Lucia Stars, will come up against the Jamaica Tallawahs tonight in front of team owner Shah Rukh Khan.

Khan arrived last evening to watch his first live game here in Trinidad after getting involved with the franchise as owner for the last two years. He posted a video on his twitter account sending love to fans in T&T. He said, "I am taking a flight from New York to Trinidad, see you guys in a couple hours. Thank you for your first win love, you guys."

His presence has caused greater excitement among the local fans, as they have looked for ways just to be in the presence of the biggest Bollywood Star. However, when the clock strikes 8 pm the focus will not be on Khan but on the field of play we TKR will be looking for their second win in as many games.

They ripped apart the St. Lucia Stars in their opening game by 100 runs. Sent in to bat, TKR on the back of a brutal 68 from Kiwi Colin Munro and a rapid unbeaten half-century from Denesh Ramdin, reached 195/6 off their allotted 20 overs. Their bowlers were then on spot led by skipper Dwayne Bravo, who claimed three victims, as the Stars were bowled out for 95 in 17.3 overs.

Munro slapped 68 0ff 48 balls with nine fours and one six to make the early run at the Stars and Ramdin smacked 50 not out off 27 balls with two fours and four sixes, to put the finishing touch.

When stars chased the target they got off to a great start as the openers David Warner and Andre Fletcher took 26 runs from the second over off the innings bowled by Shannon Gabriel. The impressive USA pacer Muhammad Ali Khan then got Fletcher out and the innings went into decline. Fletcher top scored with 19 as Stars folded for 95. Fawad Ahmed was brilliant taking a wicket with his first ball of the CPL and ended with 3/16 off his four-over quota. Bravo bowled some brilliant dippers in his buffet-style bowling to finish with 3/11.

He will however not take the Tallawahs lightly, "They are a good team and we know what they are capable of. We had a great start to the tournament and the boys will be going out there full of confidence in this second game. We need to win home games and we are on the right track at the moment.

Bravo's opposite number Andre Russell says his team is balanced and he is backing them to do well. “We have a very good, balanced team. We have a team that is not just about the names, it’s all about what they can do as well and how quickly they can change the game. I truly believe in all-rounders in T20 cricket and I think that’s what we have. I think we have guys that can bat and bowl and once you have eight guys in a team that can do that, I think you have a good team on paper.”

This year Russell will be captaining Shahid Afridi, a player with a huge amount of experience in the T20 format, and he is looking forward to having him as a teammate at the Tallawahs.

“It’s going to be interesting, I’ve played against Shahid before, he’s a good guy. Even in Dubai after we played, we go out on a boat together, just enjoy each other’s company. To be around a guy like Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Ahmed Shehzad and all these guys, it just shows a different type of how they live, and how simple they are apart from the game. But, it’s good to have Afridi in the CPL this year and not just playing against him, playing with him as well, because I hope I can learn a few things and take it along with me.”